Surgical splint



J. J. ETTINGER SURGICAL SPLINT April 18, 1933.

Filed Feb. 27, 1950 INVENTOR. LT

- ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 18, 1933 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOE J. ETTINGER, OF WARSAW, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO ZIMMER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WARSAW, INDIANA, A CORPORATION SURGICAL smsr'n r Application filed February 27, 1930. Serial No. 431,930.

found that the base frequently creeps on the patients body notwithstanding it is strapped v to the body. The angle between the arm support and the base has also been fixed in prior devices so that there could be no angular adj ustment of the support relatively to the base. The object of my invention is to provide a novel base or body-engaging support that is form fitting and will remain in position when applied to the human body. Another object is to provide an arm support that is angularly adjustably carried by the base. Another object is to provide a novel angular arm rest attachable to the arm support and reversible thereon for either right or left arm.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a splint embodying the invention; Fig. 2 a front elevational view of the splint; Fig. 3 an enlarged side View of the splint with the arm rest removed; Fig. 4 a plan view of the arm rest, and Fig. 5 a side View of thearm rest.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of the invention, I represents the base or body engaging support. Preferably the base is formed of aluminum and lined on its inside with felt 2 or other suitable padding material. The base is curved or convex transversely and its middle portion 3 is concaved from its upper edge toward the lower edge thereof with the lower part 4 of said middle portion somewhat convex so as to fit over the hips of the patient. The concave portion or wall 3 and the convex portion 4 conform to the general shape of the body to which the base is applied. The central portions of the opposite lateral ends of the base are preferably cut out as shown at 5 to reduce the weight of the splint and ventilate the article, and also causing the splint to be more comfortable. Buckles or other fasteners 6 are suitably v secured tothe lateral ends of the base for the reception of bands or straps which are extended around the trunk ofthe patient to secure the base in position. Other buckles or fasteners '7 are laterally adjustably mounted on the opposite sides of the upper portion of so the base to which a strap or band may be attached and extended over the shoulder at the opposite side of the body. The members 7, being laterally adjustable on thebase, may be positioned so that the strap or band-attached to them will exert itspull on the base atthe correct angle.

bar 8 is secured to the concaved middle portion 3 of the base. A bar 9. is hinged to the upper end of the bar 8 and a longitudi 7o nally slotted bar 10 is hinged to the lower end of said bar 8'. The bar 9 is secured to the upper end of a laterally concaved support ll, having the longitudinal slots12 thereinytwo slots being shown upon eachside of the bar 9. -A' longitudinally slotted bar 13 is hinged to the lower end of the bar 9 and underlies the bar 10.- The bolts 14 extend through the alined slots in the bars 10 and 13 and thumb nuts 15 on the bolts serve to clamp the'latter bars together in any longitudinally adjusted position'of said bars. It is evident that by adjusting thebar 13 longitudinally on the bar '10 the inclination of the support 11 may be adjustedto the desired angle relatively to the base. 7

j *A reversible arm rest 16'is attachable to the support 11. This rest is of peculiar form;

In general it is V-shaped longitudinally and concaved transversely and it tapers somewhat laterally from its middle portion toward its opposite ends. One side wall '17 is higher than the opposite wall and is highest in -.its middle portion or at the angle ofthe arm. The middle portion or angle of the rest is curved transversely so as to form a longitudinally convex surface 18 which is alsoconcave transversely upon which the side of the elbow of the human arm may rest when the arm is bent in normal manner at the elbow.

Two transverse slots 19 are formed in each end portion of the rest and are adapted to be registered with the slots 12 in the support 11, that is, with the outer slot 12 on either side of the bar 9 and with the inner slot 12 on the opposite side of said bar. Hence when either arm of the rest 16 is attached to the support 11 by the bolts 20 that are inserted through the registered slots 12 and 19, thumb nuts (not shown) being disposed on the bolts, this arm is in an oblique position on the support 11 and the other arm of the rest extends downwardly and inwardly and it is also oblique to the longitudinal aXis of the support 11 but in a direction opposite to the obliquity of the attached arm of the rest 16. In Figs. 1 and 2 the rest 16 is installed for use on the right arm. The transverse slots 19 are of sufiicient length to permit of lateral adjustment of the rest 16 on the support 11 to permit rotation of the distal end of the humerus, which may be indicated, whereby to secure proper alignment of the fractured bone.

In use the base is adjusted on the side of the patient adjacent the injured arm and the arm rest is'attached to the support 11 in accordance with the particular arm that is injured. After the injured arm is placed on the arm rest, the support 11 may be adjusted to secure the proper angle thereof relatively to the base. The several straps are adjusted to assure the rigidity of the base on the patients body. Thereafter the base remains in place and the arm is maintained in fixed position.

What I claim is: V

1. A surgical splint comprising a laterally convex base member having its middle portion concaved longitudinally and adapted to be engaged upon either side ofthe human trunk the lower part of said middle portion being longitudinally convex to engage on either human hip, a support hinged to the base and an angular arm rest adjustably carried by the base and being reversible end to end on the support, the rest being concaved transversely and being widest and convex longitudinally at the apex of the angle thereof.

2. A surgical splint comprising a base shaped to conform to the curvature of the side of the human body, a support hinged to the base, means to adjust the angularity of the support relatively to the base and an angular one piece arm rest adapted to be secured at either end to the support, said rest being concave transversely and tapering from its central portion toward each end thereof said central portion being also convex longitudinally. i

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOE J. ETTINGER. 

